’Lamest Excuse for Somebody To Get Traded of All Time’ — Celtics Legend Rips Prevailing Narrative Around Reviled Jaylen Brown Deal
· Yahoo Sports
Many across the NBA world are still dumbfounded by the trade that is sending Jaylen Brown, a five-time All-Star and the 2024 NBA Finals MVP, from the Boston Celtics to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Brown had been a huge cornerstone for the Celtics ever since they drafted him in 2016, and now they have made the 76ers, their longtime rivals, even richer.
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Paul Pierce Doesn’t Understand Boston’s Reasoning for Trading Brown
Philly will now have Brown, Tyrese Maxey, former MVP Joel Embiid, and a decent supporting cast to chase the championship with.
Meanwhile, the Celtics, who won 56 games this past season despite being without franchise player Jayson Tatum until March, are taking back only a broken-down Paul George, two future first-round draft picks, and two second-round picks.
Many are slamming the Celtics for this organization-altering move, including one of the team’s legends.
Pierce, a Hall of Fame forward who led Boston to the NBA title in 2008, attacked the Celtics franchise during an episode of the “No Fouls Given” podcast.
“This is gotta be the lamest [expletive] of a excuse of somebody to get traded of all-time. When Luka [Doncic] got traded, I understood it, ‘Oh, he doesn’t play defense, he’s out of shape.’ You know, when like big names get traded, it’s always something that comes out,” Pierce said.
“You’re the smartest guy in the room, he believes that? And his analytics didn’t add up? But they won 50-plus games and was second in the East, you hear what I’m saying? These are the reasons he supposedly left a sour taste in the organization’s mouth to get traded? I can’t believe this.”
“…This guy has been a model citizen. He’s been a role model in the community. …I don’t know anybody that said one bad thing about him. And because he comes out and has a chip on his shoulder from not making an Olympic team after being a finals NBA champion MVP… This is just ridiculous.”
There is some speculation that one reason Brown was traded is that the Celtics’ new ownership wants to cut costs, as he is owed a large sum over the next three seasons. Some feel that Brown’s alleged hubris, as Pierce alluded to, was another reason for the deal.
MORE:Celtics President Brad Stevens Reveals 1 Aspect of Jaylen Brown Trade He ‘Lost Sleep’ Over
But ultimately, it makes no sense basketball-wise.
Brown put forth a career-best effort this past season by averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists a game while putting himself into the MVP discussion. He is also regarded as a stellar defender, and at age 29, he could still be early in the prime of his career.
With the injury-prone George at age 36 and in clear decline, it is very possible the Celtics will not contend for another ring during the rest of Tatum’s career.